


Of Sand and Surf

by teacuphuman



Category: Original Work
Genre: Age Difference, F/M, Het, Pining, Sex on the Beach, Surfing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-29
Updated: 2017-04-29
Packaged: 2018-10-25 06:03:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10758213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teacuphuman/pseuds/teacuphuman
Summary: Emmy's known Scott longer than she can remember, but this crush of hers is new and she's not sure how to deal with her desire when all she wants is her father's business partner.





	Of Sand and Surf

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for a private commission and has been posted with permission. If you're looking for an ending where they skip off into the sunset together, this isn't it. It is, however, what is best for the characters, and is a mutual decision between them.

Emmy was finishing the display of summer beach readers when Elliot burst through the back door. His youthful exuberance had been one of the reasons she hired him, thinking it would be good to have someone happy and smiling in the store, but what she didn’t account for was how much like an overgrown puppy he’d turn out to be. Elliot was all elbows and knees, flailing about as he took off his helmet and shouted about stir sticks.

“Elliot,” Emmy said sternly, putting her hands on his shoulders to still him. “Calm down and start over.”

Elliot inhaled deeply, his eyes round and shining. “My mom took the car this morning before I woke up and I had to ride into town and couldn’t pick up the order from the bakery because it wouldn’t fit on my bike and I would have trailed apricot danish and stir sticks all the way down main street.” Elliot gasped the last few words, having blurted them all out in one breath.

“Okay, we can handle this,” Emmy assured him, not missing the way Silvia rolled her eyes from behind the counter. “I will go to the bakery, you calm down and finish putting out the murder-mysteries. We open in one hour and we need to be ready.”

Elliot nodded and Silvia gave her a sarcastically cheerful thumbs up. Emmy grabbed her keys and ran out the back door, wondering once again why she didn’t just do all of this herself in the first place. Her father always told her that she needed to learn to let other help, to trust them to do the job right, but it was Emmy’s experience that other people’s work was rarely up to her standards and not worth the trouble.

Emmy was just leaving the bakery when someone called her name. She turned and nearly dropped the boxes of pastry when she saw Scott Pruitt, her father’s long-time business partner and her longest-standing crush, walking towards her with a big, bright smile on his face. In his early 50’s now, Scott was still just as dashing and handsome as she remembered growing up. His silvery hair was cut short and his suit was a deep blue, setting off his eyes and complimenting his tanned skin.

“I knew it was you,” Scott said with a laugh, raising his arms as if to hug her, then lowering them when he realized it would cause her to drop everything she was carrying.” Here, let me help you with that.”

Scott took the cardboard carafes of coffee from her and pecked her on the cheek, grinning wider when she flushed. Emmy adjusted her grip on the boxes and tried not to melt into the pavement.

“What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I’ve got a new client in town, I was just making a house call.” Scott chuckled, his eyes roaming over her. “You look good. Santa Barbara treated you well.”

“It did,” Emmy agreed. “I graduated a few months ago.”

“Double major in English and Economics, right?”

“Wow, that memory of yours is impressive.”

Scott laughed. “Well, you are my favourite. Besides, those sisters of yours are always jumping from one thing to the next and I can’t keep track. You’ve always been the steady one. I know your parents appreciate that.”

“Oh,” Emmy said, a feeling a little flustered. “Thank you.”

“So, where are we taking these?” Scott asked, holding up the carafes.

“Oh, oh god, I need to get back. I’m parked just over here.” Emmy started walking, knowing Scott would follow. 

“Are you hosting a brunch?” Scott asked, setting the coffee in the footwell of the passenger seat once Emmy got the door open.

“Oh, no my store opens today!” Emmy told him, proud that she had an accomplishment to show off.

Scott frowned. “Your store? Your father didn’t tell about you opening a store.”

“Well, it’s all a bit last minute. Besides, Daddy doesn’t think it’s a sound investment, so he’s ignoring that it’s happening. But it’s a bookstore, and we’re right on the beach, just down the street. It’s called Sand and Surf Books.”

“That’s fantastic, congratulations,” Scott pressed his hand to her shoulder, his fingers warm and firm through the fabric of her dress. “How long have you been in town?” 

“Only four weeks. The last of my furniture was delivered yesterday and the movers made fun of me for still having so many boxes. I’ve just been so busy with the store that I haven’t had time to unpack.”

“That’s understandable,” Scott said, dropping his hand. “I’ll have to come by the next time I’m in town. Sometime when you’re not dashing about with pastries and I can steal you away for lunch.”

Emmy smiled. “That sounds great. Does Stacia ever travel with you?”

Scott’s expression sobered a little at the mention of his wife. “No, she’s always galavanting across the globe these days. She’s in Europe right now, on an art tour.”

“That’s too bad, I haven’t seen her in ages.” Emmy tried to sound polite, but there was something in the way Scott talked about his wife that seemed off. Like maybe he hadn’t seen her in ages, either.

Scott’s phone beeped and he pulled it out of his jacket, frowning like it offended him. “I have to get going, unfortunately.”

“Yeah, I really need to get back to the shop, we open in,” Emmy checked her watch. “Shit, twenty-seven minutes!”

“Well, I’m up and down the coast often, so I’ll see you again soon. I’ll pick you up one morning and we’ll go surfing.” Scott stepped closer, his hand curving around Emmy’s waist as he leaned in to brush a kiss over her cheek. “And I’m holding you to that lunch date.”

Emmy nodded, feeling herself flush again. He watched her climb back into her car, waving as she drove away. When Emmy looked in the rearview mirror at the end of the block, Scott was still standing there, fading into a dark speck as she put more distance between them.

The store opening was fast and chaotic, but Emmy loved every minute of it. The locals were supportive and the tourists were happy to load up on light reading for the beach. All in all, it surpassed Emmy’s projections by a healthy margin and she gleefully sent her father an email with the details. She debated mentioning her run in with Scott, but ultimately decided against it, preferring to focus on basking in her success.

Despite the activity of the day, and her desire to connect with her customers, Emmy found her mind wandering back to Scott several times over the course of the day. Back to his easy smile and laid back demeanor. His hand on her waist and the peppermint on his breath when he kissed her goodbye. Scott had always drawn her eye, even as a child. He’d been fun and kind, never too busy to get down on the ground and play with her or her sisters. Once he’d even thrown himself in the pool when her older sister Mary had fallen and knocked out her front tooth, just to make her laugh through her tears. Scott was a good man and Emmy couldn’t help but feel like he was someone she wanted back in her life.

She told herself that was all it was, that her teenage crush was silly and she was over it. She’d thought she was, too, until Scott had appeared out of nowhere, looking just as good as he had when she’d last seen him three years ago. Emmy was still trying to talk herself out of carrying a torch for Scott four days later, when he showed up while she was closing up.

“What are you doing back so soon?” Emmy asked, her fingers fumbling the coins she was counting out.

Scott shrugged. “I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d take you to dinner.”

“You don’t have to do that, don’t you need to get back to the city?” Emmy protested, starting her count again.

“Yes, but I need to eat first and I find I enjoy that more when there’s a beautiful woman sitting across from me.”

Emmy felt her face heat up and she ducked her head, finishing the count and dropping the quarters back into the till. “I’ve been unloading boxes all day, I’m not exactly dressed for dinner.”

“Please, you could wear a burlap sack and still be the most stunning creature in the room.”

“Creature? Like Frankenstein’s monster? Because that’s pretty much how I feel standing next to you in that suit. You can’t fool me, I know how much bespoke costs,” she teased, trying to shift his attention off of her.

“You’re a brat,” he told her, grinning. “We’ll walk down the boulevard and grab tacos from a food truck. I’ll even leave my jacket in the car.”

“Well, if you’re going to woo me with tacos, how can I refuse? Turn the sign and lock the door, we’ll go out the back.” Emmy emptied the register and put the float and the deposit in the safe. She turned out the lights and paused when Scott wasn’t where she’d left him in the darkened store.

She felt her way around the counter, working only by the lamplight shining in through the front windows. 

“Scott?” she called, glancing down the first aisle.

Long fingers slid over her waist and squeezed, making her jump. “Boo!”

Emmy choked out a laugh, turning to smack him in the shoulder. “That’s not nice!”

Scott grinned, his teeth flashing in the dark. “I’m not always nice, you know.”

Emmy shivered and Scott’s hands tightened, pressing into her skin. Emmy took a shuddering breath, her eyes closing at the deep, husky tone of his voice. This was dangerous. This was her father’s partner, a married man. Someone she’d known most of her life. Someone she shouldn’t feel this way about. Scott was always teasing, always flirting, but it didn’t mean anything, it never had. 

“You promised me tacos, Mr. Pruitt,” Emmy said, her voice as strong as she could make it.

“And tacos you shall have, my dear.” Scott’s hands slid away, leaving her cold. 

Emmy shook off the stupor of her arousal and led the way to the back door, setting the alarm and locking it behind them. They walked down the boulevard, still teeming with people, though the sun had gone down. There were children running and laughing on the beach, squealing with delight as the waves chased them onto the sand. A few surfers were still on the water, paddling around and bobbing on the swells while they waited for bigger waves.

Scott bought tacos from her favorite vendor and they sat at one of the small picnic tables to eat, sipping coconut water from a shared bottle.

“So what made you choose Sol Dorado to settle down in?” Scott asked. “Oceanside is bigger and could have supported another book store.”

Emmy smirked, having expected this line of questioning. “You sound like my father. Oceanside  _ is _ bigger, but it also has fifteen bookstores. Sol Dorado has one and it only sells travel books. With an average yearly household income of $97,984 and tourism up across the board, this town is more than capable than supporting me. People like to read at the beach.”

“What about all those e-readers people have now? Won’t they just use those?” 

“Sure, on their drives and flights here,” Emmy nodded, taking a drink. “But sand and water aren’t good for those devices and reading in the sun’s glare is a bitch. Market research suggests that people still want to read a physical book while on vacation. It’s part of the whole rest and relaxation mindset.”

“You really did your research.”

“I always do.” Emmy winked.

Scott laughed. “Well, I can’t say I’m surprised, seeing as I know who raised you. I’m going to go ahead and take some credit, as well,” he confided. “Since I was such a good influence on you while you were growing up.”

“A good influence?” Emmy scoffed. “Remind me whose idea was it to steal the wave runners in Cabo?”

“We didn’t steal them!” Scott protested with mock offence. “We liberated them from undeserving frat boys.”

“How did that excuse go over with the resort’s security again?” Emmy tapped her chin, squinting.

“Not so great,” Scott admitted. “But it’s amazing what a black Amex can do.”

Emmy shook her head, smiling fondly at him. “You’re never boring, I’ll say that.”

“I should hope not. Now, where should we get dessert?”

“Oh no, I’m beat. I need to open in the morning and I need my rest. Besides, you still have to drive back into the city.”

Scott shrugged, his gaze narrowing. “I can always sleep over.”

Emmy sucked in a sharp breath and lowered her head, heat flooding her cheeks. “With that black Amex you can do better than my couch, I hope.”

Scott laughed, easy and bright, crumpling the foil from his taco into a ball. “So, surfing. What morning are you free?”

“Oh, um, Wednesday? I haven’t been for so long, I should probably dig up a belly board and start from scratch.”

“Nonsense, an hour with me and you’ll be top form again. I’ll pick you up Wednesday and we’ll do dawn patrol.” Scott collected the rest of their garbage and tossed it in the trash, offering Emmy his hand.

“I get the feeling you’re not going to take no for an answer,” she said, letting him pull her to her feet.

Scott’s responding smile sent a shiver through Emmy, her skin prickling when their hands touched. They stood only inches apart, and Emmy couldn’t resist going onto her toes to brush a lingering kiss over his cheek. His stubble was prickly against her lips, making them tingle. Emmy wondered what the rasp of that hair would feel like on her inner thighs. As though sensing what she was thinking, Scott’s arm slid around her waist, holding her against him firmly and humming into her hair as her arms found their way to his shoulders.

“It’s so good to be near you again,” Scott whispered, his breath tickling her neck as he tucked his face into the curve of her shoulder.

“I missed you,” Emmy admitted. She wanted to tell him it wasn’t just in the way of old acquaintances, the way a young woman fondly remembered a friend of her father’s, someone who had been a constant in her life since before she could remember. Emmy missed Scott in a way she’d never really known him; a teenage crush grown up to reveal itself as a complicated attraction. Something so inherent and deep-rooted that it shaped the person she’d become.

“Well, now that I’ve got you back I’m not letting you go. You may as well tell your parents that you belong to me now.” 

Emmy squeezed her eyes shut and forced out a laugh. If Scott had said it any other way, she’d have been able to brush it off as a joke, like all the other times he’d told her he wanted to keep her. But standing there, still locked in Scott’s embrace, it was harder to take it lightly. Her heart ached at his easy teasing and she wished above all else that she was brave enough to tell him how she really felt. Instead, she patted him on the shoulder and stepped back, breaking their contact.

“I really do need to go.”

“Of course. I’ll walk you back to the store. I’m parked out front.”

They strolled back down the boulevard in silence, Scott tucking her hand in the crook of his elbow so their hips brushed every few steps. Emmy watched the people passing by, wondering what they saw. She wanted them to think she and Scott were together. That this handsome, older man was out for a walk with his enraptured, younger companion. She couldn’t think the word ‘girlfriend’ without feeling embarrassed, as surely Scott would never look at her in that light. ‘Wife’ was even worse and shame burned through her at the thought. She’d know Stacia practically as long as she’d known Scott and it felt very wrong to imagine her in the woman’s place.

Scott kissed her cheek once more when they reached Emmy’s car, keeping hold of her hand until she was seated behind the wheel and ready to shut the door.

“I’ll see you Wednesday,” Scott told her, stepping back.

“Wednesday. Drive safe.”

“I’ll text you to let you know I’ve arrived safe,” Scott teased with a smile.

“You know me too well, Mr. Pruitt.” Emmy waved and backed out of the stall, waving behind her as she pulled out of the small parking lot. 

An hour later, when Emmy was settling into bed, her teeth brushed and late news watched, her cell phone chimed. Emmy fished it out from the nest of covers and laughed when she saw the picture Scott had sent. It was a selfie of himself on his balcony, the bright lights and dark surf of San Diego spread out below him as he smiled into the camera. Emmy texted back to say goodnight, then put her phone on silent and plugged it in. She slept soundly that night, her mind a rolling wave of new and old memories coalescing into dreams of Scott, close and happy. If one of those dreams drifted into a fantasy about Scott’s balcony, Emmy pressed against the glass doors and looking out at the view while Scott slid into her from behind, whispering praise and endearments as he brought her to ecstasy again and again, well, no one but Emmy would ever know.

Wednesday snuck up on her in the bustle of the store. The locals were still coming out in droves to support them and tourist season was picking up with more and more pale northerners drifting in to pick up something to distract them from the lives they’d left behind. On Tuesday, a local photographer did a signing of his new coffee table book, and it was their busiest day yet. Emmy spent most of it fending off the man’s advances while trying to remain professional, and didn’t get home until late, having stayed late to clean up and restock. 

When Scott knocked on her door before the sun had risen, Emmy let him in and went back to trying to drown herself in coffee.

“You work too hard,” Scott teased.

“One day maybe I’ll be as successful as you and I’ll have time to traipse around the state like you do.”

“Hey now, I still work. Someone has to keep the clients happy while your father accepts his awards.”

Emmy snorted into her cup. Her father had won a humanitarian award ten years prior, and Scott still acted as if he was sore about it.

“He always said he was the beauty and you were the brains,” she told him.

“He’s not wrong,” Scott said wryly. 

“You’re not so bad.”

“Oh, no?” Scott grinned.

“At decent hours of the morning you could even be considered handsome.” 

“And at this indecent hour?” he asked, leaning across the island in her kitchen,

“You’re the devil. A vile, ugly creature,” she told him seriously.

Scott laughed, throwing his head back and smacking his hand down on the granite countertop. “Well, despite the early hour and my wickedness, you, my dear, are dazzling. I can’t wait to get you out on the water. You’ll be a vision of aqueous divinity, I have no doubt!”

“Sure, until I’m out of the water. Then I’ll be a mess of sand and salt with my hair in tangles and wax under my nails.”

“I wouldn’t have you any other way,” Scott said, his eyes going soft.

Emmy blushed and turned away, rinsing out her cup and grabbing her bag. They strapped her board to the roof of Scott’s SUV and set out, going a little bit further than necessary for decent waves in order to escape the tourists that would flood the beaches as soon as the sun was up. 

Emmy yawned, squawking when Scott stuck his finger in her open mouth. “Don’t do that!”

Scott laughed, patting her knee. “Cover your mouth and I won’t have to.”

“Ugh, I don’t know where your fingers have been.” Emmy squirmed in her seat, still able to taste Scott’s skin on her tongue.

“Probably better that way, wouldn’t you say?” he teased, turning off the highway.

“Remember that time Shay bit you?” Emmy asked, rolling her head to look at him.

Scott nodded. “That girl’s baby teeth came to a point, I swear. I still have the scar.” Scott showed her the side of his hand where a small crescent-shaped scar curved over his skin.

Emmy grabbed his hand and kissed it before she could stop herself. She was horrified, but Scott just smiled, touching the spot to his own lips before returning his hand to the steering wheel.

“You called her Shark for years after that.”

“I still do. She sent back the last birthday card that was addressed to Miss Shark Carter.”

“You’re ridiculous,” Emmy told him, shaking her head and smiling.

“You love it, just admit it,” Scott said, stealing a glance at her.

“I do. You were always the most fun of all the adults. None of my parent’s other friends seemed to know what to do with four shrieking, temperamental girls.”

“You weren’t like that,” Scott said, reaching over to lay his hand on her knee again. “You were the quiet one most of the time. Always off on your own, reading, drawing, doing your own thing. It took a lot to get you riled up, but when you were,” Scott blows out a loud breath. “Watch out! Emmy’s on the warpath and no one is safe!”

“I never yelled at you, did I?” Emmy asks, trying to remember.

“Oh, yes. I got your full fury once, and it was enough that I never wanted to experience it again.” Scott took his hand back, turning the SUV onto a dirt road. “It was on that company trip to Colorado. We went rafting down the Arkansas River, remember?”

Emmy frowns. There were so many company and family trips, at least three or four every year, and they had all started to blur together after a while.

“You were about twelve and I convinced you to come in our boat down the rougher water. We went overboard and your necklace broke. You didn’t realize it right away, but when you did you came running up to me, screaming about me being irresponsible and forcing you to get in the boat, and how it was time someone taught me that I couldn’t always get what I wanted.”

Emmy was shocked, a hand pressed over her mouth. “I don’t remember that at all,” she whispered.

Scott stopped the car on a bluff overlooking the beach and turned to her. “Don’t look so horrified, I have never had to hold in laughter like I did that day. You were so small and filled to the brim with anger, I thought you were going to pass out.”

“What did I do?” Emmy asks, afraid of the answer.

“You kicked me in the shin and refused to speak to me for the remainder of the trip.”

“I don’t remember any of that. I mean, I remember rafting, but none of the other stuff. I can’t even tell you what necklace it was.” Emmy shook her head.

“Your mother told me some boy had given it to you the week before. Clearly he was your soulmate, so I don’t blame you for being angry with me,” Scott laughed.

“Oh my gosh, shut up, this is so embarrassing!” Emmy covered her face with her hands, trying not to laugh along with Scott.

“Come on, Miss Carter, forget the past, the waves are calling us.” Scott climbed out of the car and took the boards off the roof. 

They stripped down to their suits and headed towards the water, Emmy taking note of the fact that Scott was still as fit and trim as ever in his blue boardshorts. She had contemplated wearing her skimpiest bikini, but the thought of losing it in a wipeout had her switching to black full bottoms and a brightly patterned, midriff-bearing rash guard, because she worked her ass off to keep in shape and she wasn’t afraid to show herself off.

Scott gave her a warm smile as they paddled out to where the water was more active. There were a few other people out already, carving through the waves. The sun was just peaking above the horizon and Emmy sat up to watch, Scott’s leg nudging hers as they sat side by side in the surf, waiting with anticipation for the next wave. Scott urged her on when one started to build and Emmy paddled forward, waiting for the perfect moment to drop just before the first turn of the wave face. She was steady on her feet as she rode through the barrel of the wave, laughing with delight. It was exhilarating and she couldn’t remember why she’d ever stopped riding out every morning like Scott still did. There was nothing like starting your day on the water, challenging the tide and leaving all your stress out there in the ocean.

They stayed out for what seemed like hours, taking turns with the other surfers and at times calling out to each other over the roar of the waves. Every time Emmy looked to Scott, he was watching her, light in his eyes and a giant smile on his face. He looked younger out there, not that he needed to, but there was a youthful exuberance to him when he was on his board that Emmy never saw anywhere else. She was struck once again at how good it felt to have him in her life. How right.

They dragged their board in once the sun was fully up, collapsing on the sand with a huff. Emmy’s hair was a mess and her nose felt too warm, but she knew she was once again addicted to the light feeling that came after surfing, like you washed all your worries away with the groundswells. The company didn’t hurt either.

“We should get going,” Scott said, shaking water out of his ear. “We should pick up breakfast on our way back in and eat it at your place.”

“Don’t you have to get back?” Emmy asked, watching the waves and wishing they could spend the entire day together out there.

“Yes, but I’d rather not drive back covered in salt and sand. Can I use your shower? I’ll wash your back for you.” Scott smirked and Emmy’s heart gave a lurch, knowing it was idle teasing and not the serious offer she’d prefer.

“I’m going to catch one more,” she blurted and hopped to her feet, carrying her board back into the water as fast as she could. She needed to cleanse away her grief one more time. Dredge up all the feelings for Scott and leave them behind in the roll of the waves. She’d be too far out for Scott to see the tears on her cheeks, to watch her hopes crumble and break apart in the current.

In her misery, Emmy paddled out farther than before, popping up to catch the wedge coming her way. She rode it out, not realizing until it was too late that she was over the reef and her board caught a section of coral, sending her tumbling into the water. Her leash bit into the ankle as the board was caught in the current and tossed around. A sharp, bright pain lanced through her arm as she was turned over and over by the rushing water. She got caught in the reef and didn’t surface for a long time, despite her board’s attempts to drag her up. Her lungs started to burn, but she fought against the instinct to breathe in. Seconds felt like hours and Emmy’s panic started to overcome her good sense.

Strong hands curled around her arm, tugging her out of the reef and towards her board. She broke the surface, coughing and gasping for air. She curled over her board, spitting into the water as her whole body shuddered. The surfer who had pulled her free patted her on the back and pushed her towards the shore. After a minute, Emmy was able to sit up and take over, shaking his hand in thanks and paddling back in.

Scott met her as she neared the shore, his face stricken as he ran his hands over her neck and shoulders, checking that she was alright. She hissed when his hand brushed over her forearm, her body registering the stinging pain from cutting herself on the coral.

“Jesus, are you okay?” Scott asked, his voice hushed and tight.

“I’m fine, just got turned around a little,” she winced as she pulled the sleeve of her rashguard. “Damn thing cut right through the material.”

“You might need stitches, I’ll take you to the hospital,” Scott said, picking up their boards and heading for the SUV.

“No, it’s just a scratch, I’ve had worse. Remember Costa Rica?” Emmy’s attention was on her arm so she wasn’t expecting it when Scott dropped the boards and grabbed her by the shoulders.

“You could have died! I couldn’t, what would I- There was nothing I could do but watch.” His eyes were frantic and Emmy gripped his forearms tightly in return, leaning forward until their brows were pressed together.

“Scott, I’m fine. Surfing is dangerous, we all know that. But I’m fine, I promise. You don’t have to worry about what you’d have to tell my parents if something happened.”

Scott drew back with a startled frown. “That wasn’t what I,” He pressed his lips together and shook his head. “I’m sorry. That just, you terrified me for a minute there.”

Emmy smiled softly at him. “I know, I’m sorry. I promise to pay better attention next time.”

“Next time?” Scott chuckled, pulling her into a hug. “You’re going to let me take you out again after that?”

“Of course, you’re the best surf partner ever. Taught me everything I know.”

“Except how to spot the reef, apparently,” he joked darkly.

“At least we can both admit it’s your fault.”

“Brat,” Scott laughed, pressing a warm kiss to the top of her head. “Let’s go find breakfast and a shower before your customers break down the door for the latests Nora Roberts summer read.”

“You jest, but that’s a very real possibility. She’s insanely popular with vacationing women over fifty.” Emmy told him seriously.

Scott shook his head and picked up the boards, leading her back up the bluff. They stopped at a dinner just past the Welcome to Sol Dorado sign, ordering giant omelets at the walk up window and sitting outside in their suits to eat. Scott wrapped napkins around Emmy’s arm, waving off her offer to have his car detailed because she’d dripped blood on the leather interior. She blushed and looked away when he told her the front seat had survived worse.

When they got back to her house, Emmy let Scott shower first, stammering through another teasing offer of sharing. She got out the first aid kit and cleaned out her cut, taping some saran wrap around it so she was ready to shower once Scott was out. He used her shampoo, she realized, when it wasn’t in its usual spot. Her body wash had also been moved and Emmy’s skin tingled when she used it, failing to keep her mind off thoughts of Scott rubbing suds all over his body. Had he touched himself, she wondered. Had he worked his cock to hardness thinking of her? Smelling her scent and working himself to completion in her shower. Had he come into his hand or did it splash against the wall? Emmy’s hand drifted between her legs, rubbing through the slick that’s gathered there. She slumped against the tile, her fingers dipping inside her core. She winced when the movement pulled on her cut, the pain drawing her back to reality. 

She hurried through the rest of her shower, shamed at almost having masturbated to thoughts of Scott while he waited for her just beyond the bathroom door. She dried herself quickly and threw her hair into a bun, bustling into the kitchen to where she’d left the bandages. 

“Let me do it,” Scott said, taking her arm and peeling off the tape and cellophane. He cradled her arm in his lap, her hand resting at the top of his thighs. If she uncurled her fingers she could brush against his zipper. Pet and tease until he was hard for her, pressing indecently against the light wool of his trousers. Would he let her pull him out then? He’s seated on one of the bar stools and if Emmy got on her knees she would be at the exact right height to swallow him down. She’s never done it before, but experience has taught her that Scott was a patient teacher. He would make her do it again and again, day after day, until she was perfect. He could mould her into exactly what he wanted in a lover, her own inexperience no doubt a benefit to a man like him. A man who liked to have the best. She’d be perfect for him if only he’d let her.

Emmy swallowed past the thickness in her throat, thankful that Scott had no outward way of knowing how turned on she was. She should have gotten off in the shower, she mused. Maybe then she wouldn’t be holding herself back from climbing into his lap.

“There we go, all better,” Scott said quietly, his voice low. He raised her arm from his lap, pressing a slow kiss to the bandage, his eyes meeting hers over the tender skin of her forearm. She was pulled toward him when he lowered her arm, moving to stand between his spread knees, and for a brief moment, Emmy was certain he was going kiss her. Scott’s head tilted to the side, his lips parting slightly as she moved closer. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her face, feel the strength in his thighs where they pressed against her. Her heart was in her throat and she made a small noise of anticipation. Scott blinked and drew back, shaking his head sharply and climbing backwards off the stool.

“I have to go,” he said tightly, pulling on his suit jacket. He didn’t say goodbye before he rushed out the door, leaving Emmy standing in the middle of the kitchen, her wounded arm still stretched out toward him as she shivered in the absence of his heat.

The day dragged on after that, Elliot shadowing her through the store, asking her what was wrong. After the tenth time, Emmy told him he was fired if he asked again, so he just stared at her across the store with sad eyes until his shift ended at three. It was somehow worse without him there. The store was slow, the sky overcast to match Emmy’s mood, keeping the tourists indoors to nurse their sunburns and recharge.

Emmy rearranged all the displays, trying to keep her mind off of Scott and the confusion that morning had brought with it. By the time Silvia came in at five to cover the close, Emmy had cleaned the entire store, caught up on paperwork, washed the windows, and built a small blanket fort in the children’s section. Silvia raised her eyebrows at opened her book, dismissing Emmy.

Emmy went for a run when she got home, still trying to think of anything but Scott. Her crush was officially out of hand. She had clearly freaked him out with it by practically begging him for a kiss that morning. He was being kind and thoughtful, like always, and she had been reading too much into it. He was married, for Christ’s sake, and her father’s business partner. He’d seen her though all her awkward phases growing up, in what universe did that magically transform into wanting her sexually? Emmy wanted so much for Scott to be something steady and constant in her life, but knew she’d have to give him up in order to keep from humiliating herself further. 

She took another shower after her run, keeping her eyes on the curtain as she methodically washed herself, not wanting to fall back into the fantasy she’d entertained earlier that morning. Her body was sore from surfing, muscles not used often protesting her every move. She pulled on a pair of leggings and a t-shirt and tossed a bag of popcorn into the microwave for dinner. If she was going to sulk, she was going to do it right. 

She had just settled down with season three of The Bachelorette when her phone chimed, alerting her to a new text. Emmy nearly choked on a kernel when she saw it was Scott. Surely this was the message telling her he wouldn’t be able to find time in his schedule to surf with her again, to visit her at all now that business was picking up, or some excuse like that. She certainly didn’t expect it to be a request that she meet him in an hour on the beach.  _ I need to speak to you _ , is what it said, and Emmy fought against the hope growing in her chest. If he wanted to confess his attraction to her, surely he would do it here, at the house, where no one would see them. He was a married man, after all. Although, she reasoned, being seen going into another woman’s house at ten in the evening didn’t scream innocence to any potential bystanders.

She texted back, agreeing, then forced herself to stay on the couch and finish her popcorn. Scott wanted to meet not far from her house, she could easily walk it in a few minutes, so she watched an episode of her show, chewing slowly and failing completely to follow the antics of the potential suitors.

As the hour passed, Emmy ran through all sorts of scenarios in her head, from Scott professing his love and asking her to run away with him, to his complete and absolute refusal of her, going so far as to call her father and complain about her inappropriate feelings. Logically, Emmy knew that even if Scott was about to reject her, he would do it gently. He didn’t have a mean bone in his body and he had always treated her fairly, even when she was wrong. She steeled herself for a kind, but firm refusal and pulled on her tennis shoes.

Scott was already waiting when she arrived, leaning against a pylon with his hands in his pockets. His jacket was missing and his shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. He looked timeless in the moonlight, staring out over the water, and Emmy felt like sobbing. Scott’s head turned toward her and he spared her a brief smile. He looked exhausted, worn down and somber in a way she’d never seen before.

“Hi,” she said, offering a small smile of her own.

“Walk with me?” he asked, holding out his hand.

Emmy let out a shuddered breath, biting her lip to stop it from trembling. If this was going to be so bad he thought she’d need actual physical comfort, she didn’t think she would survive. She took his hand and let him lead her down the beach, away from the boulevard and the pier, into the dark and quiet of the night.

They walked for a while, neither breaking the tense silence between them. Finally, Scott stopped at a closed lifeguard station, holding the chain up so she could duck under and walk up the ramp. They sat and removed their shoes, bare feet dangling over the side, their arms propped on the wooden railing.

“I need your advice,” Scott told her, his voice soft, but serious.

“Okay,” Emmy agreed, unsure of what kind of advice she could give him that would make his rejection easier.

“I’ve been lonely the past few years. Stacia is...gone most of the time, off on her own adventures, and our marriage has become a sort of arrangement. She travels and has her own friends, and I stay here, working myself into exhaustion until I can tell myself my life isn’t as pathetic as it truly is.”

Emmy squeezed his hand, not wanting to interrupt him, but needing to show her support somehow.

“Lately I’ve been spending time with someone else. A, a woman, who is not my wife.”

Emmy’s heart dropped. There was another woman. One who wasn’t her, and Scott was about to what? Confess his affair to her? She was mortified and wanted to flee, do anything so long as she didn’t have to sit here and listen to the man she wanted for herself tell her about the woman he was in love with.

“I’ve known this woman a long time and I’m not sure what to do. I have feelings for her, and that sounds like such an inadequate description of how I feel, but there it is. I want her. I want to be with her, and I just don’t see how it’s possible without hurting a lot of people I care deeply about.”

Emmy wanted to sob. She wanted to pitch a fit and throw herself into the ocean, letting the current take her. Instead she took a deep breath, shoving her own feelings aside because Scott trusted her with this, and he deserved for her to take it seriously and not let her own desires color her opinion.

“This woman, is she married, too?”

“No, she’s never been married. She’s, um, younger than I am.”

_ Of course she is _ , Emmy thought bitterly.  _ God, what if it’s someone I know. How will I ever look at them together and hold myself together?  _ She’d harbored these feelings for Scott so long and now there was yet another reason why they would never be together.

“You’re a good man, Scott,” she said slowly, careful not to let her emotions get the better of her. “You deserve to be happy.”

“What are you saying?” Scott asked, his fingers tightening around hers.

“I think you need to follow your heart,” she told him, staring down at the chipping paint on the railing. “If it’s telling you to be with her, then you should tell her how you feel. You’re amazing and any woman you are drawn to probably deserves to have you in her life. You can only live to please others for so long, you know. After a while it starts to pick away at you.” 

Her tears fell to the sand and Scott made a wounded noise, his large hand caressing her cheek and turning her to him. She couldn’t meet his eyes, but she felt his gaze on her face.

“Why are you crying?” he asked softly, brushing his thumb under her eye.

“I don’t know,” she lied. “I’m happy she makes you happy.”

Scott’s smile was fond, if a little sad. “Oh, Emmy.”

When his lips touched hers, Emmy stopped breathing, sure it was a dream because no way could Scott be kissing her after confessing his feelings for another woman. That couldn’t be his warm hand on her neck, pulling her closer, or his slick tongue flicking against her lips. Realization hit and Emmy gasped, moaning when Scott took the opportunity to sweep into her mouth, his kiss making her burn.

“What?” she whispered when he pulled back.

“It’s you, Emmy, it’s always been you.” He kissed down her neck to her shoulder, pulling at the collar of her shirt to access more skin.

“Are you sure?”

Scott laughed and looked down at her. “Of course I’m sure. You’re an amazing woman, Emmy, I’d be a fool not to want you.”

“But since when?”

“Since your second year of university. I came to visit you, remember? We had lunch at that cafe on Aspen Street and you blew me away with the woman you were growing into. Gone was the young girl I’d known and in her place was an intelligent, bright, sexy young woman who captivated me. I couldn’t deny my feelings for you, but they terrified me, so I, I took the coward’s way out and stayed away.” Scott looked away, his face red, even in the darkness.

“That’s why I didn’t see you for three years. You were hiding from me.”

“From my feelings for you. I knew they hadn’t changed, and Jesus, Emmy, this is wrong, isn’t it? I shouldn’t feel this for you.” He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated.

“Don’t I get a say in any of this? Or do you get to decide what’s best for everyone involved?” she challenged.

“No, of course not, but this is crazy!”

Emmy pushed him back against the lifeguard enclosure, climbing into his lap and drawing a low groan from his throat. “Maybe it is crazy, but there’s only you and me here, and I’m willing to overlook that if you are.”

“What are you saying?” Scott asked, his hands cupping her hips.

“I’m saying I want you, too. And I’m not willing to walk away with nothing to show for it. If tonight is all we get, then I think we should take it.” Her voice shook, but she didn’t look away, needing Scott to know that she was serious, that she wanted him just as badly.

“Don’t tease with this, young lady, I don’t think my heart can take it,” he warned, his hold on her tightening.

Emmy’s pulse sped up as held her, his fingers a hot brand on her skin where they had slipped under her shirt. “I’m not teasing.”

Scott’s eyes shone, his tongue coming out to wet his lips before he surged forward and captured her lips in a hard kiss. He held her close, the heat of his body making her squirm in his lap. He made a pleased sound and ground her down into his lap. Emmy gasped when she felt his cock rubbing at her through their pants.

“I want to be inside you,” Scott growled, his teeth scraping over her chin.

“Yes, please,” she panted, digging her fingers into his shoulders.

Scott laid her back on the walkway, pushing between her legs to hold himself over her. He ran his hands up her stomach, bunching her shirt up as her went and leaving biting kisses in its wake until she was left in just her bra. He stripped off his own shirt and bunched them together, making a pillow for her head. He kissed her gently before making his way back down her body. He sucked at her nipple through the lace of her bra, not stopping until it was drawn into a sharp peak and Emmy was arching into his mouth. 

He moved onto her other breast, his hands dropping to the waistband of her leggings. Emmy raised her hips in encouragement and Scott growled as he took them off. Her panties were nearly soaked through and when Scott put his mouth to them, Emmy shouted into the night. She’d only ever dreamed of being touched like this, and Scott was leaving her wildest fantasies in his wake. He mouthed at her through the thin cotton, sucking and licking until she was begging him to take them off.

“Patience, my dear,” he murmured, his tongue slipping under the side to tease at her lips.

Emmy bucked off the floor and fought her desire to thread her hands through his hair and keep him  _ right there. _ Slowly, carefully, he peeled the panties down her legs. He sat at her feet, smoothing his hands over the calves before pressing her knees up and out, bearing her to him completely. Emmy whimpered, overwhelmed, but Scott hushed her, kissing up her inner thigh.

“Shh, I’ve got you. I knew you’d be like this. Knew you’d open up so easily for me. I’m going to make it so good.”

Emmy nodded, though she knew he couldn’t see her with his head between her legs. His mouth was a heated shock to her core and she cried out, Scott didn’t go slow, didn’t tease or tickle, didn’t let her get used to soft touches before he slid his tongue inside her, thrusting until she was shaking. It was too much and not enough, and exactly what she needed. Emmy didn’t want to be coddled through this. She wasn’t a little girl anymore, she was a woman with wants and needs, and Scott was treating her like one. Like his equal.

His mouth moved up, lips and tongue working together to touch every inch of her while two of Scott’s finger shoved into her, curling and twisting roughly. Emmy scratched at his shoulders, wanting him closer, needing more. She’d touched herself before, of course, but no one else had, and having Scott be the first, with his years of experience and almost frantic manner, had her coming quickly. 

Scott groaned as she came, lapping at her quim, his finger still moving inside her, his tongue flicking at her clit. Emmy bit her lip to keep from screaming as a second orgasm quickly built and crested, sending her tumbling into the waves of it before the first had fully passed. Scott’s fingers thrust harder, fucking into her as she contracted around them. He mouthed up over her mound to her bellybutton, biting her skin and leaving read crescent-shaped marks all over.

“I’m going to eat you whole,” he told her darkly, his other hand going to his belt.

“Wait, wait,” she panted, trying to rise to her elbows.

Scott pressed her back down, removing his fingers and crawling further up her body. “Don’t worry, baby, I haven’t forgotten about me.”

His cock nudged at her lips and Emmy opened up, moaning around the salty-sweet taste of him. She’d wanted this so badly, craved it, and somehow Scott knew. He understood her need to be a vessel for him, to give herself over completely.

“God, you’re amazing,” he praised, sliding his cock into her mouth over and over. “Open up, just let me fuck you for a bit.”

Emmy did as she was told, relaxing into it as Scott plunged deeper with every thrust. She gagged when he hit the back of her throat, but he pulled out and sat her up a bit, cradling the back of her head as he sunk back in.

“Suck it,” he whispered, moaning when she did. “That’s it, baby, just like that. Use your tongue.”

Emmy bobbed her head, getting into it. His cock was a wonderful weight on her tongue and she wanted so badly to taste him. To feel him come across her tongue, flooding her mouth with his seed so she could swallow him whole.

Scott pulled out much too soon, panting and rubbing his thumb over her lips. “You’re beautiful.”

Emmy smiled, scratching her nails up his stomach. She was lax and content, wanting nothing more than to lay there and let Scott do as he pleased.

“I don’t have a condom,” he warned. “But I’ll pull out.”

“No,” she whimpered, trying to pull him back down to her.

“Baby, I have to.” He shoved his pants and underwear off and repositioned himself between her legs. His cock was slick from spit and precome, red at the tip, and Emmy’s mouth watered.

“You don’t have to, I’m on something,” she clarified, spreading her legs wider in invitation.

“You’re sure?”

“Please, Scott,” she panted, reaching for him.

His hands slid under her ass, lifting her until she was resting in his lap. He went up on his knees and lined up, shoving inside her in one long push. Emmy sobbed at the sharp burst of pain that signaled the end of her innocence, grasping Scott to her when he leaned closer.

“That’s it, baby, relax,” he cooed, snapping his hips sharply.

The pain receded quickly, replaced by a decadent fullness Emmy wanted to keep inside her forever. Scott fucked her hard and fast, his hands roaming her body, making sure she was okay, touching her everywhere he could reach and sending her nerves into a frenzy.

“Scott, Scott,” she chanted, squeezing around him until he groaned and changed his angle, dropping his hips a little until Emmy was crying out and coming once again, choking a grunt out of Scott as he struggled to stay inside her.

“Fuck, you’re like a vise. I could come from the pressure alone.”

“Don’t,” Emmy begged. “Fuck me, please fuck me. I want to feel it for days.”

Scott’s teeth bit into her shoulder and he reached back to hook her ankles together at the small of his back. Emmy clung to him as he sped up, plunging into her over and over, growling into ther skin he held between his teeth until he was coming, long and hard. He fucked her through it, spreading his seed inside her until she could feel it trickle out around him. They were panting and sweaty, but Emmy had never experienced such a perfect moment.

Scott pulled out with a wince, grabbing her leggings to clean up the mess. Emmy laughed when he frowned down at them.

“I liked those leggings, they were comfy.”

“I’ll buy you new ones,” he grinned, bending to kiss her. 

They both whipped around when voices floated towards them on the breeze. There were people walking down the beach toward them. Emmy scrambled back into her panties and Scott pulled on his pants, trying not to draw the attention of the group. He draped his oxford over her shoulders, coaxing her arms into the holes and doing up the buttons himself.

“We’re still going to look highly suspicious,” she giggled.

“Only if they see us,” Scott said, handing her her shoes and grabbing her hand.

They ran quietly down the ramp to the sand, ducking under the stand until the group passed by. Emmy broke into laughter at the disgruntled look on Scott’s face, but he soon joined her, chuckling and tugging her out from the shadows and back down the beach. Once they calmed down, the walk back was more sedate, both lost in their own thoughts, replaying what had occurred between them and trying to figure out where they went from there.

Emmy was still a little shocked that it happened at all. But there she was, returning home late at night in nothing but panties and Scott’s shirt, her pants balled into a soiled heap under Scott’s arm, evidence of their coupling. She could still feel the imprint of him inside her, like a branding she’d never get over, never be rid of. It soothed her, knowing they’d always have this night. Neither of them knew what tomorrow would bring, but they could be secure in knowing none of it was one sided. 

Scott walked her to her door, kissing her deeply. “I’ll never regret this.”

“Me either,” Emmy told him, smiling with tears blurring her vision.

His eyes turned stormy, his lips thinning. “We can’t do this again.”

Emmy nodded, sniffling. “I know.”

“There are just too make relationships in the mix. Too many people will get hurt,” he explained, his voice cracking.

Emmy cupped his face in her hands, smiling at him through her tears. “Scott, I know.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“You don’t have to be, I promise.”

“You deserve better than this. You deserve so much more than I can give you.” His hands shook on her hips and she wrapped her hands around his shoulders, holding him close.

“And I’ll find it, but I still won’t regret being with you.”

Scott nodded and pulled away, kissing her one more time before walking away. They stayed away from each other for a while after that, knowing they needed the space to get over their night together lest they rush it and go back on their decision. Emmy moved on, dating here and there, but mostly focused on the store. 

Ten months after their night of passion, they found themselves on a family cruise, Emmy’s parents having insisted on her joining them since they’d seen so little of her since the store opened. When Scott ordered her a sex on the beach with a wink and smile, Emmy threw her head back and laughed. There’s still love between them, but it’s no longer the kind that feels like it could burn them alive if they didn’t give into it. Emmy clinked her glass to Scott’s and offered him a smile, then they went their separate ways, each content with the life they’d chosen.

 


End file.
